Overwhelming US support for wind and solar; Russia hits post-Soviet oil-production record; US methane leakage from shale visible from space: Week 1, 2015

4.1.15.Methane leak across W. USA, visible from space, suggests high warming toll. 40,000 gas wells in New Mexico just part of a $2bn fugitive emissions problem.UK & Norway close to power cable deal linking Norwegian hydro to UK grid. €2bn 1.4 GW project would be ready by 2020, final decision this quarter.
3.1.15.Russia and Iraq supply the most oil in decades as 2015 begins with a glut. Russia hits post-Soviet record of 10.67 mbd; Iraq’s Dec. export of 2.94 mb most since ‘80s.
2.1.15.Senior politicians in denial on climate risk, David Attenborough says. The popular TV naturalist speaks out: “the penalty of not taking notice is huge”.Cheapest oil for 5.5 years is boosting US truck sales. Consumers bought more pickups, minivans and SUVs than cars in every single month of 2014.Aviation emissions continue to soar: a new report expects tripling by 2050. If the airline industry were a country it would rank 7th for annual GHG emissions.UK oil and gas directors could face criminal prosecution for overseas corruption. UK becomes first member state to implement the EU Directive on Extractive Industries.“Fighting alliance in Lima takes the battle to the carbon giants.” Jeremy Leggett for Recharge : Flustered fossil fuel companies are facing an accelerating crisis.
1.1.15.“Americans Want America To Run On Solar and Wind”. Support is “overwhelming”, pollster finds, and few favour “all the above” in energy.US motorists may save $75 billion on gasoline in 2015 because of low oil price. So AAA estimates: also that savings in 2014 were $14bn.